A look at the year’s most significant farewells
Throughout 2025, numerous farewells took place. The obituaries published during these 12 months in 14ymedio have not only been a record of the end of those lives, but also a way to contextualize the legacy they left behind. It is worthwhile now to take stock of those goodbyes, including the Cubans who passed away—those closest to us, those who directly touched the heart of the country—and international figures whose passing also left its mark on public debate
The death of Paulito FG in a traffic accident marked one of the most shocking moments of the year. An idol of popular dance music, his persona epitomized the transition from timba to the big stage, coupled with a remarkable professional ability to maintain contact with the public for decades. Alongside him, the passing of Edesio Alejandro brought to a close a fundamental era in Cuban film and theater music: a restless, experimental composer, capable of breaking molds in an increasingly narrow cultural landscape.
In acting and film, Mario Limonta and Luis Alberto Ramírez represented different generations, yet were equally recognizable to Cuban audiences. Ramírez also joined the tragic list of those who have died from the viruses circulating on the island, a public health crisis that marked 2025 and claimed several victims in the cultural world. The death of José Antonio Chávez, remembered for his impressive work with the Camagüey Ballet, was also attributed to this same cause.
2025 was the year in which these deaths forced us to look back, to measure trajectories and to ask ourselves what remains when the voices are silenced
Theater and film also lost Manuel Marzel, a discreet but constant filmmaker, and television said goodbye to Aris Teresa Bruzos, the endearing Evarista from Vivir del cuento, whose popularity made her part of the daily life of millions of Cubans.
In the field of visual arts, the death in Madrid of Waldo Balart marked the end of an era for one of the most important abstract artists on the island and in the world, known for his kinetic style and conceptual rigor. Zenaida Armenteros, a key figure in Afro-Cuban culture, also passed away; her work as a researcher and promoter left a significant mark on the preservation of traditions.
The disappearance of Eduardo Torres Cuevas, historian and essayist, signified the loss of one of the most influential voices in official cultural thought. His work helped construct the historical narrative of the Revolution, and his death reopened debates about memory and power.
Independent journalism and the Cuban opposition also lost key figures. Manuel Ballagas, a controversial and exiled chronicler, left behind a body of work marked by denunciation and critical analysis of the system. Wilfredo Vallín, a lawyer and human rights defender, was a central figure in the creation of civic spaces outside state control, while the death of reporter Juan González Febles forced a rethinking of independent journalism.
In exile, Yndamiro Restano, a pioneer of opposition thought, and Luis Conte Agüero an emblematic voice in Cuban politics and radio for decades, both died. They were joined by Salvador Lemis , a playwright and cultural promoter whose work was marked by the tension between the absurd, social metaphor, and the exploration of identity.
Among the figures directly linked to power, the death of Ricardo Cabrisas closed the chapter on one of the men who for decades “reassured” foreign investors and negotiators, the technocratic face of a system in crisis. Osmany Cienfuegos, brother of Commander Camilo, also passed away; his life was spent in official positions and gradually distancing himself from the center of power.
The year was also marked by the death of Pope Francis.
In exile, the death of Lincoln Díaz-Balart served as a reminder of the diaspora’s influence on American politics and the role of Cuban-American congressmen in Washington’s agenda toward Havana. Meanwhile, the painter Humberto Calzada left behind a body of work recognizable for its silent architecture and timeless interiors, where human absence becomes the central theme. Through stillness and formal rigor, the artist constructed one of the most robust visual poetics in contemporary Cuban art.
The year was also marked by the death of Pope Francis, a figure who, through his actions and words, influenced the relationship between Cuba and the Vatican and deepened a path of rapprochement with the Castro regime. Mario Vargas Llosa, an essential novelist and essayist whose ideas and controversies resonated for decades in Latin America, also passed away. His work was banned for decades from official publishing houses and public tributes on the island, although just a few days ago, the Ateneo de La Habana organized a literary discussion about the Peruvian writer for the first time, with the participation of Leonardo Padura.
The world of film and fashion lost some globally renowned names: Robert Redford, actor and director; Claudia Cardinale, an icon of European cinema; Diane Keaton, a role model for several generations; and Giorgio Armani, creator of an aesthetic that transcended the catwalk. In music, the death of Ozzy Osbourne brought to a close the story of one of rock’s most extreme figures.
From science and environmental activism, Jane Goodall left a legacy of research and defense of nature that transcended disciplines. In Latin American politics, the passing of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro and Pepe Mujica served as a reminder of two very different ways of wielding power, both influential in the region.
Thus, 2025 was the year in which these deaths forced us to look back, to measure trajectories, and to ask ourselves what remains when voices are silenced. In this exercise of memory, this newspaper accompanied many farewells, convinced that remembering is also a way of narrating the present.
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